did study vs. studied

[Torsten]

I've just found the following test on an ESL site. The words below need to be marked as 'British' or 'American English'. In my opinion, the test is inaccurate because it's difficult to clearly define one word as 'American' and the other as 'British'. What do you think?

garbage can,
postman,
favourite,
jail,
downtown,
driving licence,
streetcar,
prison,
check,
movie theater

TOEIC listening, photographs: Camping at the lake

[Beeesneees]

The only words I'd have a problem defining as one or the other are jail/prison.
_________________
Cheers m' dears!

[Beeesneees]

[T_H_Lawrence]

[Beeesneees]

Sorry, I don't imagine your 'American' version is correct at all. Perhaps the lack of punctuation is throwing me, but I cannot get it to make sense.
_________________
Cheers m' dears!

[Torsten]

I think all of those sentences are just horrible.

TOEIC listening, photographs: A container yard

[Minhajquazi]

Hi Torsten!
Almost all right about your views for AmE vs. BrE.

Point is it depends on the market position whether you love or not ----like, there are no differences between them. Reality is it has.

See at:
www.helium.com
A famous paid writer site. where they say about the writing tone or which tone will be prevailed they have indicated it at the rules of writing. America has desperately been occupied all the markets, because her R and D cost is the highest in the world compare with any single country (on earth.)

I first discovered your site for appeasing myself from these hurdles. More clear, one co. that is Odesk, they have several English language tests in English--Like- Oxford Style writing, Michigan style etc. including Basic English in the USA or UK.They named it.(You might have known them).

You can't over look them because I used to test myself about my English position because of 2,30,000 test takers who have already been tested their English level-I am still here about to top 20 or 10 at somewhere.

Torsten, those have good scores here they are really good in English. Because they are earning here with highest paying like per hour 60 $ as a paid writer! Now somebody introduces himself as an Odesk certified holder! As like TOEFL scorer!

After the USA and Uk, India has the highest speakers in English, hasn't she? Indian Bollywood replica came from the Hollywood. It has a big market in the middle east. UK's people are now watching 80% movies from the USA. I am so sorry telling these bitter reality, but it had established by Mr. George Washington on 4 th July, 1776.

If anybody likes to avoid these reality( he can be it is his rights), but I can say----- they are just dreaming on the day light! Please forgive me if I hurt anybody-but I like to write all the truth(If possible!).
_________________
Quazi,(46) a writer, thinker & humanist
since 28 years.

[T_H_Lawrence]

[Beeesneees]

Well, even with the punctuation the sentence is both nonsensical and grammatically incorrect, but rergading the point of differences:
Britain:
sceptical;
he,she vs they form -- all acceptable
cheque
colour
cheque
colour
'different to' most commonly, otherwise 'different from'
program -- computer/data related as this example is. Programme -- TV, radio or event related.

However, I think that the point being made by Torsten is that in everyday usage any British speaker would recognise and accept the American versions and vice versa.
,
_________________
Cheers m' dears!

[Torsten]

I find this British vs. American English discussion so funny because it's such a minor issue. The differences between British and American English and between Australian and Irish English are so few and small that they don't even matter at all to any learner of English. Native speakers of any country communicate with each other without any language problems whatsoever. It's the ESL speakers and teachers that talk about a topic that doesn't exist.

TOEIC listening, photographs: Pulling a rope

[Beeesneees]

To be fair, because there are differences, I don't think you can say that the topic doesn't exist. Sometimes differences have to be commented upon, as earlier in this thread when someone asked why one particular preposition was used that they didn't expect to see in that context. Occasionally differences have to be addressed, such as the difference between 'cheque' and 'check' in British English.
I agree that by and large too much is made of the differences, though.
_________________
Cheers m' dears!

[Torsten]

And I'd like to add the differences are diminishing instead of growing. Also, when it comes to differences between versions of English, nobody seems to be interested in Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian English. It's always 'American vs. British English' whatever that might mean.

TOEIC listening, photographs: Children having fun

[Alan]

Please activate Javascript in your browser to listen to this audio recording

4 Listened

Download mp3	Click to listen

Hi,

I think the important point to make is that these 'differences' are just variations. No doubt anyone listening to me rabbiting on in recorded bits on these forums (and I do do this a lot) will spot the differences in accent between what I sound like and what Bev sounds like even though I do outrabbit her considerably. 'Outrabbit?' Now, that's not in the OED, I am sure but no doubt the meaning is clear, isn't it? Oh, English! thank goodness you are free to come and go as you please. Down with pedants, I say.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Torsten]

[Minhajquazi]

As far as, I contemplated the conversations--

Good, reality seems at least pertinence.

More, I am astonished to see a recent changing that Canadian present immigration rules have imposed a funny bar(but being an one of administrators in a private sector, I understand their head ache!)that is for immigration seekers, like, any one whether he is a native speaker in English or not has to produce an English proficiency certificate(e.g. IELTS or other) just to hold off these debates!
Please see: To be an immigrant:English requirements.(Canadian Govt. site)
www.cic.gc.ca

Because situation demands everything. If I am a blind it doesn't care for 'Tornado', Typhoon, Gusty weather whatever you say, she will work by her way! I heard in 2ww., food crisis was in such a position in a certain time, just by a loaf, a man could buy a pretty woman in a night. It doesn't mean anything, as a true picture that 'to what extend' can be realized by a particular circumstance.
_________________
Quazi,(46) a writer, thinker & humanist
since 28 years.